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Janmashtami Decorations

The festival of Janmashtami is celebrated as the birth day of Lord Krishna who was born as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Dwapar Yug. It is celebrated on the eight day of the second fortnight of the Sravana month according to the Hindu calendar. This day corresponds to the August-September month of the Gregorian calendar. Lord Krishna who was born to proud parents Devaki and Vasudeva in Mathura spent his entire childhood and most of his adolescence in Gokul. Right from his birth, he exhibited his extraordinary powers and thus his birthday was celebrated as the day of fortune in the country even thousands of years back.

Krishna was born as the savior of religion and promoter of mankind on earth. Thus, unlike other God Krishna became more of a friend and guide to most of his devotees. He in his life time also emerged as a promoter of brotherhood and friendship owing to his relation with Arjuna. Devotees of Krishna thus regard him as the ultimate deity, a god in all forms and commemorate his earthy presence by the celebration of Janmashtmi. On this day, the fasting and feasting at their home go hand in hand. During the two days celebration in the Janmostva of Krishna, they decorate their house and temples with flowers and decorate the cradle of Lord Krishna similar to ambience of heaven in order to welcome the Lord.

Krishna Janmashtami Decorations

Krishna Sculptures & Cradle The statue of Lord Krishna and his cradle is decorated to the best in the Janmashtmi. The statue is decorated is bathed in panchamrit (honey, Gangajal and ghee) and decorated with new bright clothes and garlands. The cradle of Krishna is decorated with marigold and rose flowers and adorned with different kinds of bells and torans.

Wall & Door Hangings Of Lord KrishnaThere are people who do not establish idols of the Lord rather decorate their home with the wall and door hangings with pictures of Lord Krishna pasted over them. Some people also decorate their home through using popular Janmashtmi symbols like flute, peacock feather etc. These decorative items create an ambience of the existence of Lord Krishna in their home.

Temple DecorationsDuring Janmashtami, temples of Lord Krishna are beautifully decorated. Generally, the temples are decorated with natural flowers and the tableaus depicting popular incidents from Lord Krishna's life. The grandeur of the decoration of Janmashtmi at Dwarakadheesh temple in Mathura is worth watching.

Janmashtami Fast

Janmashtami is a Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm all over India. Colorful cultural programs all conducted all through the day, while in the midnight, aarti is performed and bhajans praising Lord Krishna are sung. A number of cultural programs are organized all through the day, to commemorate the birth of Lord Krishna. Small children are dressed in Lord Krishna and his playmate Radha's costumes, during the cultural programs. In addition to this, Raslila (dance drama) is conducted by various communities. The dance drama depicts some of the important phases of Shri Krishna, with special emphasis on the days spent by him in Gokul.

People indulge in making delicious recipes to savor on, after worshipping Lord Krishna. Sweets and desserts are the most preferred dishes, because Lord Krishna was known for his sweet tooth. This is the reason why most of the dishes prepared on Janmashtami are sweet. Moreover, many people observe a fast during the day, as a part of the celebrations. Certain diet is formulated for fasting, which is considered auspicious, when observed on the ceremonious occasion. Also known as Upavasa, fasting originated as a part of the offering that one could give to Lord Krishna, on his birthday - Krishnashtami. In the following lines, check out more information on Janmashtami fast.

Types Of Fast

Nirjal FastThe ardent followers of Lord Krishna celebrate Janmashtami by observing Nirjal fasts, which literally means starvation. They would not consume even a drop of water, all through the day of Janmashtami. The fast is broken only in the midnight, when aarti is performed and prasad are offered to the deity. It is believed that nirjal fasts would help them get closer to the Almighty.

Phalahar FastPhalahar vrat is another type of fast observed on Krishna Janmashtami. This is somewhat lenient than the nirjal fast, because the person can consume milk and fruits during phalahar vrat. However, they refrain from cereals and other kinds of food stuff. The fast is broken in the midnight, after Janmashtami Puja. During both the types of Janmashtami fast, people pass their time by singing bhajans of Lord Krishna and chant mantra.

Food For Janmashtami FastSince Lord Krishna is particularly fond of milk, a variety of dishes using milk and its products are made during the fast. Sweets like Peda, Shrikhand, Kalakand, Vella Seedai, Neyyappam are prepared by the devotees, to offer to Lord Krishna. Sweet dishes including desserts (preferably kheer) are made at the time, when people observe fast. However, they would not consume the sweet dishes or any other food unless and until they have been offered to Lord Krishna. They would consume the mouthwatering delicacies only after breaking the fast, during the midnight of ashtami.

Janmashtami Date

Janmashtami is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna, one of the reincarnations of Lord Vishnu born in the Dwapar Yug. The festival is celebrated throughout the country with immense zeal and gusto. Devotees of Lord Krishna all over the country observe fasting on this day. Though the celebrations of the festival differ a little in terms of rituals and traditions from place to place, the overall celebrations of the Janmashtami every where is full of zeal and enthusiasm. Colorful Pandals and temples decorated with beautiful idols of Krishna make the festival look like a beautiful celebration of joy all over the world.

Janmashtami commemorates the birth of Lord Sri Krishna, one of the most popular Hindu God also known as ‘Makhanchor’ and ‘Kanha’. Lord Krishna was born to King Vasudev and Mata Devki in the prison of Kansa, a demon king on a dark, stormy and windy night when moon entered the house of Vrishabha in the 'Rohini' nakshatram (star) to end the rule of ‘adharma’ (unreligious forces) and establish peace, prosperity and religion on the earth. His preaching in Bhagvad Geeta, the holy text of Hindu religion is still a guiding light for the followers of the religion.

Thus as per the birth of Lord Krishna, Janmashtmi is celebrated on the eighth day of the second fortnight, in the month of Sravana every year. According to Barhapatyamana, the month of Sravana corresponds to the month of Bhadrapada Krishnapaksha and the month of Mid-August to Mid-September in the Gregorian calendar. According to estimation by some historians, Lord was born in the year of Visvavasu, appx. 5,227 years ago.

Now the birth festival of Lord Krishna is celebrated for over two days as ‘Rohini Nakshatra’ and ‘Ashtami’ may not fall on the same day. So the first day of the celebration is named as Krishnashtami and the the second day is known as Kalashtami. The day of Krishnashtami falls on the eighth day after Raksha Bandhan, generally in the month of August.

The celebrations of Janmashtmi takes place only at the midnight of Krishnashtami as the birth Sri Krishna took place on the conjunction point of both the days. Lot of hymns, arti, bhajans takes place and the rocking the cradle of Lord is done as a sign of his arrival. His idol is then bathed with milk, ghee, honey and Gangajal. He is also offered ‘bhog’ i.e. all the scrumptious ‘satvik’ (pure) food item that have been prepared by devotees all day long. Later all this is distributed amongst the devotees as ‘prasada’. It is the time when devotees open their fast by consuming the holy prasada.